Chapter 4
Vlash’s fingers shook as he undid the buttons on Mason's shirt. He knew if he slowed down or stopped to think, he’d lose his nerve, and come Monday, he’d be standing in the store ringing up sales, wondering what the fuck he was doing with his life.
There’d been a time when he’d known. When it had been so easy.
When he’d loved his life, his wife, his son and daughter, and his job.
All he had left was his son, not even his job.
Sure, he was dressed the part of head archer tonight, and he did some head archery things, but ninety percent of the time, he scanned pasta and weighed vegetables and mopped up messes.
This wasn’t the life he was supposed to be living.
But all mythos could say the same thing.
And as much as being at the wedding had ripped open wounds that he’d, if not healed, then at least covered up, it also made him realize he didn’t want to spend another ten years living like that.
Lekso was an adult. He was going to college and leaving all things mytho behind.
Including his father.
So he didn’t like mixing bloodlines, and he preferred the company of elves. Tonight, he was making an exception because he wanted to feel as though he was more than a washed-up head archer, shopkeeper, and widower.
The last button popped open, and Vlash went to shove the shirt off Mason's shoulders. Mason drew in a breath and gripped the front of the shirt.
Vlash glanced up and held the human’s gray-eyed gaze. Had he changed his mind already?
Fucking humans.
But the heat was still there like hot coals waiting for tinder to ignite, and Vlash knew without moving his hand that Mason’s cock was hard for him. He was enjoying being desired a little too much, but that was a problem for daylight.
“I’m not a soldier or an elf,” Mason said without releasing his grip.
“I know.”
Mason pressed his lips together and closed his eyes. “I just got out of a five-year relationship, and I let myself go, okay?”
Vlash kissed him. In part to shut him up, and in part to distract him so he could get him naked because he didn’t give a fuck.
He just wanted somebody against him. He wanted someone’s hands on him, and he hated being so fucking desperate and needy and raw.
And for a moment, he hated that Mason made him feel like this.
If Mason hadn’t looked at him that way when they’d danced, he could’ve bundled it up and taken it out on the next person he trained with. Lekso would tell him that wasn’t healthy.
He was probably right.
He pressed his hips against Mason’s as his tongue slid into the human’s mouth.
Mason responded with his tongue, meeting and challenging Vlash’s and then his hands were on Vlash’s hips again, sliding around his waist, smoothing over his lower back, and dipping into his pants to cup his ass.
For a moment, Vlash couldn’t breathe or think as he rolled his hips, enjoying the feel of Mason's cock rubbing against his own. He could almost forget the last century and pretend that he was only one hundred and fifty again. Back then he’d spent his nights out drinking and fucking, and his days training in the king’s army.
Sure, they were cousins, but he hadn’t become head archer because of his bloodline.
When he went to pull the shirt off, this time Mason didn’t resist. Vlash dropped the offending clothing on the floor.
He hadn’t expected Mason to have the hard body of a soldier. He hadn’t expected the chest hair either, though he should’ve as it was a human thing.
“What about condoms?” Mason whispered against his lips. “Or—"
“I don’t give a fuck about condoms. I’ll see a vampire to sort it out later if I need to.”
Mason’s eyebrows knitted together. “I’m sure that sentence made sense to you.”
“You said you’ve been with someone for five years, and it’s just ended?”
“Yeah.”
“I haven’t been with anyone in a decade.” And before that, it had only been his wife.
“You haven’t had sex in a decade since before…” Mason stopped as though he didn’t want to mention the C word.
“Since before the collapse.” Vlash wasn’t scared of saying it. If he said it, it had no power over his life. Every mythos life was divided into before collapse and after collapse.
Mason stared at him. “You haven’t had sex in ten years, and you want me to fuck you? We could start off easy.”
Vlash cupped Mason’s balls. “Do I look like the kind of person who likes to start easy?”
He felt like the kind of person who’d do anything to get laid.
Part of that was the damn aphrodisiac candle the king had sent to his room, along with the little handwritten note, hoping that he enjoyed the night.
The lube was a thoughtful gesture because ducking out to the kitchen to fetch oil was not something he wanted to do.
That and he’d heard others say how much better the human-made lube was compared to oil.
Possibly one of the few good things this world offered.
Well, that and cell phones. And chocolate.
Not that he was going to admit that to anyone.
“No,” Mason agreed. “You seem like a hard ass who’ll go full tilt and deal with the consequences in the morning.”
Vlash smiled, but even he knew it was the one that was all hard edges. His lips had forgotten what it was like to smile out of happiness. “That’s exactly what I want.”
He worked open the fly of Mason’s pants, reached into his underwear, and stroked the length of his dick. Fuck, it has been a bloody long time. At least Mason wasn’t hung like a satyr, as that would’ve given him pause for a moment—but only one.
He held Mason's gaze as he stroked him. Mason’s chest lifted with each breath. “Get on the bed.”
Vlash was about to argue that Mason had no right to order him around, but he wanted to obey instead of fighting.
So he stepped back and stripped off his pants. Mason’s gaze skimmed over his body, pausing to linger on the hard length of his dick. Had he been wondering what elves had in their pants? Then Vlash took another step backward, closer to the bed, one more, and he was there.
Mason shoved his pants over his hips, stepped out of them, and pulled off his socks, then he walked over.
He claimed Vlash’s lips in a greedy kiss.
His fingers tangled in Vlash’s hair. He still had all the formal braids in the circlet on.
But he couldn’t be bothered taking the time to unravel any of it.
He just wanted to feel.
For a few moments, maybe the whole night, he could forget about rules and etiquette and expectations. It had been a bloody long time since he lived without them hanging over his head.
Mason’s teeth raked over his lip, drawing a grunt of pain, but he liked it. Welcomed it even because instead of keeping everyone at a distance, he was letting someone in. And he doubted Mason would tell anyone, and if he did, he’d kill him.
No, he wouldn’t because that would piss off the king and the knights.
When Mason pushed Vlash, he let himself fall onto the bed.
The heat in Mason’s eyes was almost too much. There was no fear because he didn’t seem to care about Vlash’s rank. No one had ever dared to push him around, and he didn’t know if he’d allow it again. This once was acceptable.
“Wriggle up the bed,” Mason said.
And Vlash obliged, flipping over onto his belly and spreading his legs.
“You’re that keen?”
Now he wasn’t looking at him, it was easier. “It’s been over a decade since I last got laid. I was ready from our first dance.”
From the corner of his eyes, he watched as Mason grabbed the lube, and then he closed his eyes, waiting for that first touch. What this was like was a distant memory.
Mason was taking far too long. He opened his mouth to tell him to get on with it, but lube-slicked fingers swept over his hole.
He sucked in a breath, expecting Mason to push inside.
He didn’t. His fingers teased and circled, rubbing over the tight ring of muscle until Vlash was lifting his hips, trying to impale himself on them.
With anyone else, he might have been disgusted with himself for revealing such desperation.
“I’m not going to break. I want you to fill me.”
“You haven’t bottomed in decades.”
“And?”
“And I don’t want to hurt you.”
“Unlikely. I’m a fucking elf.” He stuck his ass in the air in case Mason hadn’t gotten the hint to hurry up.
“You’re going to regret it in the morning.”
Vlash snorted. They were probably both going to regret this in the morning. But that was half the fun. That’s what made a good story, and he’d much rather have something to regret than spend another bloody night in his empty bed. “I’ll deal with that in daylight.”
Mason pushed two fingers into his ass.
The burn sent a tremor of heat through his blood, and a groan slipped past his lips.
“Too much?” Mason asked as if he cared.
“No.” And even if it was, he wouldn’t have admitted it.
Mason fucked him a few times with his fingers, turning and stroking that spot within him that always felt so good when hit.
When he pulled his fingers free, Vlash gasped at the loss. He rocked back, needing more. Needing something.
Then the hot head of Mason’s cock was pressing against his hole. He held his breath, even though he knew he shouldn’t.
“You’re going to need to relax a little, breathe out, and push back. You have done this before, right?”
“Of course I have.” Back before he was head archer. When he was just another soldier and it hadn’t mattered who he’d fucked or what he’d done.
He let out a slow breath and pushed back as Mason thrust forward and entered him.
It was too much and not enough, and he needed Mason’s hands on him.
He wanted to look Mason in the eye. Not that he was about to suggest a position change.
Not as Mason started moving slowly, working his way deeper.
Vlash kept his ass in the air and his face against the sheets.
His teeth pressed into his lip so that he wasn’t groaning and moaning and carrying on with each stroke.
“You’re so fucking tight,” Mason said.
“And you’re so fucking good, I don’t want you to stop. I don’t care if I can’t sit for a week.” He stood behind the fucking till, anyway.
Mason’s hand glided over his ass, across his hip, and over his ribs, before running down his spine. He did it again, but this time, he stopped to trace each scar.
He didn’t ask where they’d come from, and Vlash couldn’t remember getting some of them. Nor did he want to rip open the past.
Their skin slapped together.
With a gasp, Mason pulled out. “I don’t want to come yet.”
Vlash glanced over his shoulder. Mason was gripping the base of his dick as though he was trying to kill it. Was there anything hotter than a guy taking a moment so he didn’t come too soon?
Vlash didn’t think so.
He took the opportunity to move, this time resting his forearms on the headboard.
Mason moved behind him and thrust in hard, drawing a reluctant groan from Vlash’s lips. He sounded like a needy whore.
This time, Mason’s thrusts were harder, each one deep, jolting Vlash and the bed. One of his hands sneaked over to grip Vlash’s shoulder, and the other slid around to fist Vlash’s cock.
He drew in a shuddering breath, knowing he was close to coming undone. Mason’s lips brushed the side of his neck. Vlash turned his head to catch the kiss. He moaned into Mason’s mouth as he came, lust tumbling through his blood and heat spreading over his skin.
Mason slammed into him a few more times before stilling and spilling deep inside him.
Vlash broke the kiss first and rested his head on his forearms. He could not go another ten years without sex.